2012 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability
308 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 68/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 70,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2012 sits among all LaCrosse years
What owners report
“While driving the Electronic Stability Control warning light comes on and the car loses power.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 LaCrosse
“The contact owns a 2012 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 LaCrosse
“Vehicle shuts down while in motion on highway, streets, etc . Cannot break , steer , etc. Check engine light comes on. Sometimes will start right back up with a jump but will shut down again as driving. Brand new battery . Very unsafe !!! Taken to gmc dealership but still not fixed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 LaCrosse
“The contact owns a 2012 Buick LaCrosse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 LaCrosse
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 202 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 56,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 27,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,…
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at…
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on…
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not…
Fix: GM will notify owners and dealers will test the GCM and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign…
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 BUICK LACROSSE PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 9, 2011, THROUGH JULY 2, 2011, FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 126, "ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEMS…
Fix: GM DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
1,829 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Buick LaCrosse. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 LaCrosse TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
The 2012 Buick LaCrosse drew 308 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 68/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2012 Buick LaCrosse problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Buick LaCrosse are electrical (64 complaints), engine (51), and other (48).
At what mileage do 2012 Buick LaCrosse problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Buick LaCrosse problems around 56,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 27,000 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Buick LaCrosse have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Buick LaCrosse. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.